Human Dimensions in the Outdoors
How do rationing and allocating outdoor recreation areas for visitor use impact visitor behavior?
Do people living in communities near public outdoor recreation areas benefit from those lands in the same way as visitors coming from a distance?
Do long time users of public lands exhibit greater visitor attachment, desire different recreation experiences, have different opinions about land management, and view public land managers differently than those who visit public lands less often?
Does gender influence visitor participation in different outdoor recreation activities? If so, what does it mean for recreation land use policies and practices?
What constrains people from visiting and recreating on public lands and how can public land managers encourage and promote greater use of public lands?
How does the public's trust in public land managing agencies abilities impact the benefits of public land management to people and society?
Researchers in PRTM are engaged in answering questions like these and others to help public land managing agencies recognize that visitors to public lands and people living in communities nearby are impacted by management actions and differ in their capacity to adapt to the consequences of these actions.
Our research provides greater understanding of these differences and how they promote or constrain recreational use and community well-being. New ways of engaging visitors and communities in thinking about how public land management policies are implemented are being developed and put to use.
The envisioned outcome:
Greater support and enjoyment of public lands leading to greater visitor satisfaction and greater social, economic, and environmental capital in surrounding communities. Research focused on practical problem-solving.
Featured Project: Appalachian Trail MEGA-Transect
Their mission?
Working with the National Park Service and Appalachian Trail Conservancy to establish citizen-science driven environmental monitoring and resource management, PRTM Researchers are providing expertise to help engage recreation users and nearby citizens in environmental monitoring and management on the 270,000 acres of protected land surrounding the Appalachian Trail. This program will guide science-based natural resource stewardship to protect some of the most important ecosystems in the eastern U.S.
Why does this matter?
The integrity of these ecosystems affects the lives of millions of people and provides respite for countless recreation users. Informing and engaging users and neighbors is the best strategy of assuring the long-term sustainability of this unique resource as well as instilling environmental stewardship values.
Learn more about the A.T. MEGA-Transect Project
Examples of Recent Publications from PRTM in the area of Human Dimensions & Outdoors:
Dorwart, C., Moore R. L., & Leung, Y.-F. (2010). Visitors’ perceptions of a trail environment and their effects on experiences: A model for nature-based recreation experiences. Leisure Sciences 32(1)
Siderelis, C., Naber, M., & Leung, Y.-F. (forthcoming) Resource measures and demand for recreation outings: A mountain biking case study. Journal of Leisure Research.
Anderson, D.H., S. Wilhelm-Stanis, I.E. Schneider, and J.E. Leahy. (2008). Proximate and distant visitors: differences in importance ratings of beneficial experiences. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration 26(4), 47-65
Anderson, D.H. and D.C. Fulton. (2008). Experience preferences as mediators of wildlife related recreation participation—place attachment relationship. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 13(2): 73-88.
Leahy, J.E. & Anderson, D.H. (2008). Trust factors in community-water resource management agency relationships. Landscape and Urban Planning 87:100-107.
Siderelis, C. & Moore, R. L. (2006). Examining the effects of hypothetical modifications in permitting and river conditions on whitewater boating behavior. Journal of Leisure Research, 38, 4, 558-575.
Moore, R. L., Scott, D., & Moore, A. C. (2008). Gender-Based Differences in birdwatchers’ participation and commitment. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 13(2), 1-13.
Ivy, M. I., & Moore, R. L. (2007). Neighboring landowner attitudes towards a proposed greenway trail: Assessing differences between adjacent and nearby residents. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration 25(2), 42-63.